Circuit closer



April 19, 1927.

E. P. BIRKHOLZ CIRCUIT CLOSER Filed Feb. 5. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR l war az [797% ATTORNEYS April 19, 1927. E. P. BIRKHOLZ CIRCUIT GLOSIER Filed Feb. 5. 1926 2 Sheets-Shet 2 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR I z w'arcfpfiz' 5 BY j Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

nnwann r. ismxnoriz,v or comma, new JERSEY.

CIRCUIT CLOSER.

Application filed Iebruary a, 1926. Serial No. 85,625.

Thisinvention relates, generally, to improvements in automaticstop-light devices for vehicles, and especially for motor Vehicles; and the invention. has reference, more particularly, to an electric stop-hght slgnal I provided with a novel automatic circuit make and break means operated under the principle of inertiaupon acceleration or deceler' ation of the vehicle equipped therewith.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction of circuit make and break device for a stop-light signal, in combination with a novel inertia controlled actuating means for tripping said circuit makeand break device, to close or open the signal light circuit respectively under conditions of deceleration or acceleration of the vehicle on which the same is mounted. The construction and arrangement of said circuit make and break means is such that, although the same is adequately sensitive to the actuating movements of the inertia controlled tripping means, it will nevertheless maintain the condition to which it is moved "free from vibration, and will produce a steady operation of the signal especially during the period of deceleration of the vehicle movement.

Other objects of this invention, not atthis time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

- Thistinvention consists, therefore, in the novel construction of automatic stop-light device for vehlcles hereinafter set forth, and, the invention consists, furthermore, 1n

' the several novel arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of said parts, all of which will'be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic stop-light signal made according to and embodying the principlesof this inven tion; Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the same: Figure 3 is a transverse section, taken on line 3-3 in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a rear end elevation of the same; Figure 5 is a detail perspective of the circuit make and break element, in conjunction with a wiring diagram of the circuit served thereby; and Figure 6 is a perspective view i lating I material. with said base 18, and in vertically spaced 11, to the central portion 12 of which is.

secured asocket 13 to mount an electric signal lamp 14. Said open end of said casing is closed by a suitable light transmitting lens 15, secured in place by a retaining ring 16, or by any other suitable retaining means. Said lens 15 may be colored in any well known manner to transmit and modify the light rays of said signal lamp to produce any desired signal color;

Mounted within said casing 10," behind said reflector member 12, are a pair of suitably formed vertically disposed laterally spaced apart frame-plates 17. Disposed and suitably secured between the upper end portions of said frame-plates 17 is a transverse supporting baselS, preferably made of insu- Supported in connection apart relation, are stationary contact-elements 19 and 20, which are preferably respectively provided with binding post devices 21 and 22. An electric current supplying conductor 23 is lead from a suitable source of electric energ such as a battery, and is introduced through a bushing 24, fixed in the rear wall 25 of the casing 10, for electrical connection with the binding post 21 and the contact-element 19 served thereby. Con

nected with the binding post 22 serving the other contact element 20 is an electric conductor 26 which is lead to and connected with said signal lamp 14. The circuit from the signal lamp 14 may be completed through ground or otherwise back to the electrical source in any suitable manner within the understanding of those skilled in the art.

Pivotally mounted on a suitable fulcrum 27, so as to be operatively disposed in front of said stationary contact'elements 19 and 20 is a'switch-lever comprising an upper arm 28 and a lower arm 29. Pivot-ally connected with the free end of said upper arm 28, so as to be opposed to the spaced apart stationary contact elements 19 and 20 is a contact plate or bridge 30. Suitable means may be provided to electrically insulate said contact plate or bridge 30 from the switch lever.

I Connected with said switch lever, so 'as to extend outwardl from the point of its pivotal connection with its fulcrum 27, is a lateral extension 31. Suitably anchored to the rear wall of the casing 10 is a pull spring 32, the free end of which is connected with the free end of said lateral extension 31 0t said switch lever. Spaced lower and upper clined downwardly into stopped engagement with the lower stop-piece 33, and the pullspring 32 in such position, being alined below the pivotal point or center of said switch lever, will by. its pulling tension yieldably hold the latter in circuit breaking or interrupting position undisturbed by vibrations, jolts, or like effects consequent to traction movement of the vehicle on which the stop light device is mounted. The lower arm 29 of said switch lever is provided with a forwardl off-set depending trigger member 35 and a rearwardly off-set depending trigger member 35.

Independently pivoted on a fulcrum 36 below said switch arm is a penduhun comprising a suspension bar 37'and a weight 38 connected with the lower end of said bar. Connected with said suspension bar 37 so as to project upwardly from its point of pivotal support is a trip finger 39, which is disposed between the triggers 35 and 35 of said switch lever. Connected with said suspension bar 37, so as to extend outwardly and slightly downward from the point of its pi"- otal connection with its fulcrum 36, is a lateral extension 40. Anchored to a tension adjusting screw 41, which is threaded through the rear wall 25 of said casing 10, is a pull spring 42, the free end of which is connected with the free end of said lateral extension 40. Said pull spring 42, when said pendulum is in normal perpendicular or neutral position. is alined slightly above the pivotal or fulcrum point of the latter, so that its tension tends-to keep said pendulum in neutral position and under a slight initial restraint against inward swing, but when under inertia, .upon deceleration of the vehicle on which the stop light signal is mounted,

operative inward swinging movement of the pendulum is induced, said extension 40 will swing downward causing the alinement of said spring to pass or cross the dead center and by its pulling tension tend to counterbalance the weight 38 and thus assist the op erative inward swing of the pendulum, without necessity for unduly sudden checking of such movement in order to assure proper actuating movement of the latter.

In operation, assume that the vehicle on the rear end of which the stop signal device is mounted, is under motion at an established speed, so that the pendulum is in neutral position and the switch lever in normal circuit interrupting position as shown in Figure 2.

If. under such condition the speed of movement of the vehicle is checked, under the principles of inertia, the pendulum will swing inward thereby causing the trip finger 39 to swingoutward. In thus swinging outward the trip finger 39 is brought 7 into outwardly moving engagement with the forwardlyoif-set trigger member 35 of the switch lever, thus turning the latter on its fulcrum until the pull spring '32 upwardly passes the fulcrum 27, whereupon the pull of saidspring on the upturned extension 31 moves the switch lever to swing inward-the upper arm 28, and thus carries the contact plate or bridge 30 into mutual gap closing relation to the stationary contact elements 19 and 20. The electric circuit being thus closed, the signal lamp 1 1 is illuminated. .The pull of the spring 32 tends to hold the contact plate or bridge 30 in circuit closing engagement undisturbed by'minor oscillations of the ,pendulum, or by vibrations or jolts consequent upon traction of the vehicle, thus maintaining the signal steadily operative during the entire slowing down period of the vehicle movement. Owing to the. fact that said contact' plate or bridge 30 possesses a pivotal connection with the arm 28 of the switch lever,

the same will easily adjust itself to bear evenly against both contact elements 19 and 20. Thus not only assuring a good electii cal contact, but also compensating for wear or any differences in extent of projection between said eontact elements 19 and 20.

Upon establishment of a slower rate of vehiclemovement after deceleration, or upon again accelerating the vehicle movement, un der the principles of inertia, the pendulum inward the trip finger 39 will be carrier into inwardly moving engagement with the rearwardly off-set trigger member 35 of the switch lever, thus turning the latter on its'fulcrum in the opposite direction until the pull-spring 32 downwardly passes the fulcrum 27, whereupon the pull of the'spring on the downturned extension 31- moves the :will swing outward, thereby causing the trip finger 39 to swing inward, In thus .swingin switch lever to swing outward the upper arm 28;and thus carries the contact plate or bridge 30 away from'engagement with the stationary contact elements 19 and 20. The electric circuit is thus again interrupted and the illumination of the signal light discontinued. a

From the above description it will be evident, by reason of the novel arrangement and construction of the switch lever in combination with the spring 32 serving the same, tha the circuit make and break means will be yieldably held in its respective open and closed positions "against disturbance both by minor oscillations of the tripping inertia controlled pendulu-Inas well as by vibrations or jolts due to traction of the vehicle, and

consequently the signal will not be subject to actuation except under the desired conditions of changing vehicle speed. Furthermore the arrangement permits of a positive steady dwell o the make and break means in circuit closing position durm the entire period of vehicle movement eceleratlon,

- which in itself is a decided advantage. The

arran ement of the make and break means where hy the same. is independent of but sensitively subject td actuation by the inertia controlled pendulum means, is of decided advantage over those types of inertia controlled devices in which the circuit make I and break means is directly connected with or carried by the suspended weight or pendulum element. J

I am aware that some changes may be made in the neral arrangementsand combinations of t e devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same,

without departing from the scope of this invention as hereinabove described and'as defined in the appended claims; hence, Ido not r struction of said parts as accompanylngdraw ngs.

limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the several devices and partsas hereinabpve described, nor-do I com fine myself-to the exact details of the conillustrated in the I claim 1. In an electric circuit control device, a circuit make and break meansfor said circuit, means for yieldably retaining said circuit make and breakmeans in either circuit closing or circuit 0 ning position, a pivot- 'ally suspended pen ulum having trip means for actuating saidcircuit make and break means, said pendulum being adapted to operate under the force of its inertia .to move said circuit make and break means to either circuit closing or circuit opening position as the case may be, and a tension means connected with said pendulum adapted when the latter is in neutral position to yieldably restrain the same against undue oscillation but serving to moreor less counter-balance the same when operating to move said circuit make and break means to circuit closing position. v v

2. In an electric circuit control device, a make andbreak means for said circuit, said make and break means comprising a pair of s aced stationa contacts, a pivoted swit c lever provide with a contact element to mutually engage and brid e said stationary contacts, means for yiel ably retaining said switch lever in either circuit closing or interrupting position, a pivotally suspended,

pendulum having a trip means for actuating said switch lever, means on said switch lever engageable bysaid trip means, said pendu-- lum being adapted'to operate under the force of its inertia. to move said switch lever to either circuit closing or circuit interrupting position as the case may be, and a tension 1 means connected with said pendulum adapted when the ;latter is in neutral osition to yieldabl y ,restrain the same agamst undue oscillation but serving to more or. less coun- EDWARD P. BIRKHOL'Z. 

